MacroFire v2.3.4 from pen is a homebrew app that allows your PSP's firmware to run on custom plug-ins. There are a lot of things to take note of apart from the changelog, so we'll cut the chitchat and go straight to business. Just head on straight to full article.

Download: MacroFire v2.3.4

There's nothing official yet, but word has it that Sony has enlisted the help of Imagination Technologies Group, a graphics processor core company, to work on another refresh for the PlayStation Portable. More details after the jump.

Following up on last weekend's announcement of Final Fantasy XI's Shantotto joining the Dissidia roster, we now get a scan from Shonen Jump showing her in full regalia for the upcoming PSP brawler. My, my, I see she's looking cute as ever - and all-powerful too. How's that for a 2-foot black mage with a laugh to be reckoned with? There's also a scan from Famitsu outlining Firion and Emperor's EX mode, plus the official box art for the game revealed.

Do you still have money to burn for the holidays? Figured out how to spend it yet? Well, Famitsu went on a survey, asking the Japanese about their holiday game spending plans. Read what the Japanese are planning to buy and why they're getting them. It might actually help you decide on which stuff to get after you read the full article.

Remember that PSP-3000 bundle with Ratchet and Clank? It's still out there, and it seems that we're not the only ones who thought it's a so-so deal. So to try and get us to cough up, they're throwing in God of War: Chains of Olympus for free. Details after the jump.

Datel's quick to turn a profit from their PSP-3000 "hack." The Lite Blue hack tool, being marketed as the only PSP battery capable of putting the PSP-3000 into Service Mode, is now available for pre-orders at the Codejunkies site, and will be shipping on December 1.

Thanks to Vexor for the heads up!

Here's some more news from the PSP-3000 hacking front. Not from Datel this time though, but from the man himself, Dark AleX. It's a new Psardumper for the PSP Phat and Slim, but will allow the decryption of the PSP-3000's PRXs. Details after the link.

A big thanks go out to Razero for the quick tip!

Download: Psardumper with PSP-3000 Modules Decryption

Good news for those of you whose Amazon pre-orders for the PSP-3000 Limited Edition 4 GB Memory Entertainment were canceled. You now have the option of pre-ordering it once again; the bundle is back on Amazon, ready for you to try out its wonderful interlacing features.

A big thanks to Santhiel for pointing us in the right direction!

Looks like someone's had some stop-motion animation lessons from Tim Burton or something. Here's a video showing the PSP-3000 being unboxed, taken apart, and gutted for the sheer joy (and maybe torture, for some) of seeing what makes the new PSP tick. As a stop-motion video, it's entertaining to watch (ooooh, look at that Ratchet & Clank UMD magically crawling out of the disc tray by itself!). As a PSP-3000 dismantling video for modders and the like, it's a treasure trove of details.

My word! Finally we get to see what the Dissidia-customized PSP-3000 unit looks like! The bundle's packaging is looking quite pretty too! Check out the full article to see the actual box which will includes the customized PSP-3000 unit and the game. The game itself is actually going to get a special edition box art in this bundle: Yoshita Amano art is love!